ECO4 Scheme: Eligibility, Free Measures, and How to Apply in 2026

ECO4 should be the easiest energy decision a struggling household ever makes, fully funded insulation, a new boiler, sometimes solar. In practice, the eligibility rules are tangled, installers cherry-pick easy jobs, and many qualifying homes never apply. This guide cuts through the noise.

What ECO4 is

The Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) runs from 2022 to March 2026, with ECO5 expected to follow. Large energy suppliers fund efficiency measures in low-income and vulnerable households. The scheme prioritises homes rated D, E, F or G.

Who qualifies

Benefit-based routes

Households receiving Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Income Support, ESA, JSA, Child Tax Credit, Working Tax Credit, or Housing Benefit typically qualify automatically.

Local Authority Flexible Eligibility (LA Flex)

Households not on benefits may still qualify if their council issues a Declaration of Eligibility based on low income and high energy costs, or health vulnerability.

Measures typically funded

• Loft, cavity wall and solid wall insulation
• First-time central heating systems
• Boiler repairs or replacements (subject to whole-house assessment)
• Air source heat pumps
• Solar PV in some packages

Under ECO4, measures must be delivered as part of a whole-house plan, single-measure installs are largely gone. See our D-to-C improvement guide for context.

How to apply step by step

1. Check your EPC. Use the free Sapling lookup. ECO4 prioritises D and below.
2. Confirm eligibility. Benefits route or LA Flex.
3. Pick a TrustMark-registered installer (a UK government-endorsed quality scheme). Our partner Micro Green Energy handles assessments and applications across the South East.
4. Have a retrofit assessment. Required under PAS 2035 (the UK retrofit standard for existing dwellings) for ECO4 work.
5. Approve the plan and works begin. No upfront cost for fully-funded packages.

What ECO4 will not cover

Properties rated A, B or C (already efficient), wealthy households without LA Flex backing, and standalone measures outside a whole-house plan. If you fall outside ECO4, look at the Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS) or the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.

Landlord notes

Landlords can benefit when tenants meet eligibility, but contributions toward works are usually required. Combine with MEES planning to time upgrades efficiently.